The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-25
Supporters Of the Measure Muster 175 VoteE,
and the Friends Of the President Cast 125
in Favor Of Sustaining the Veto.
Gen. Bragg Makes a Bitter Attack on
Certain Glasses of Ex-SOldiers.
The Senate To Be Called in Extra Session for
the Purpose of Confirming the Interstate
Washington Notes.
THE VETO sUsTA NED.

THE VETO sUsTA NED.
The Pension Bill Fails of Passage-The
Speeches for and Against the Measure.
Special to the Indianapolis Journaa
WASHINGTON, Feb 24-The dependent pen
sion bill was defeated in the House to-day by
yeas 175, nays 125, the necessary two-thirds vote
required by the Constitution to pass the bill
over the Presidents objections not having been
obtained. The galleries were filled beyond any
occasion during the present Congress. the
crowds remaining until after the result of the
vote was announced. The debate continued un-
til o'clock 1t conducted with great ear
nestness, and at times was acrimonious. the
points made by the several speakers heing
cheered on the floor and applauded in the gal
leres. A number of Senators occupied seats
in the House during the progress of the discus
sion The vote on the bill was perhaps, the
largest ever cast in the House, 3l2 being re-
corded, including the pairs. out Of a total of 3l9.
The affirmative vote shows every Repuh-
,can member OF the House, except two
Reed, Of Maine, and Buchanan,
of New Jersey-recorded in the
affirmative, the only Republicans paired being
the two abssntees, Reed and Buchanan. The
Affirmative vote composed of l36 Republic
ans and 80 Democrats, and the negative was
composed of Democrats When Mr.. Holman Of
Indiana, gave his vote to pass the bill over the
veto, there was considerable merrment and
some applause and when Mr. Randall voted yea.
in loud voice, the Republican side applauded
and cheered. Mr. Cox, Of New York appeared
in his seat for the first time since the Christmas
holidays, and voted to sustain the veto.
H. -
agreement was made that debate should continue
until o'clock. at which time the previous ques-
| tion should be considered as ordered. After
| brief remarks by several menbers. Mr.. Bragg,
| of Wisconsin. took the floor in opposition to
| the BILL He said that the time
| had arrived when the pension question should
receive more than casual consideration. 1t
| was time for the members of the House to get
out, from the roseate babble in which they lived
| in Washington prepared for them by claim
agents, and look after the interests of the real
soldier and the business interests Of the country
They had drifted along, impel!ed by species OF
| sympathetic impulse, regardless of reason or
! Judgment, until the period was reached which
culminatedin the presentation and passage of one
of the most scandalous bills which had ever been
| sent 20 President for his signature. The peo-
pie Of the country. without regard to party, had
every reason to be thankful that this bill had
| been presented to an executive who had back
bone enough to meet the situation In few
| years the soldiers of the country (not the bum
mers) would have arrived at an age when they
| could come to Congress and demand as right
| not ask charity-that provision be made for
| them. Let not Congress bankrupt the Treasury
! before that time arrived. by yielding to the do
! mand Of diserters, coffee-coolers and bounty
| frcp vt
! vania Mr.. Baynel would read the Ma
tional Tribune, published in Wash
| ington by men who received from
$25 600 to $45 900 8 month as fees from pension
| ers-biood money taken from the soldiers whom
they pretended to love-he would find in every
column some abuse of the President and Of
| those who thought differently from them as to
| the propriety of this measure. Such newspa-
pers as this, which professed to be the friends Of
the soldier. were such friends as vutures were
the friends of dead boGies-because they fed and
fattened on them. 1t had been charged that he
was not a friend of the soldier. To that he re-
| piled that no man who served with his troops in
the field for four years, who had followed the
starry flag in fifty or sixty pitched battles, would
forget them. 1t was for that class Of soldiers
that he stood here to-day-to defend them
against the mputation put upon them by the
passage of panper pension bill. No man who
| had experienced the exquisite delight of riding
| down the line that wayering and breaking
| in the presence of the enemy. and heard the
cheer of the three times three go up-a cheer OF
confidence and JOY that leader had come
could ever forget his comrades Who that had
ever seen those rushing in to battle, thought
less of themselves and Of their homes. ready to
lay down their lives for their country, could ever
forget them, would be willing that they
should be classed as paurers and placed on the
| roll with the coffee-coolers of the army The
men who advocated this bill were not the friends
| of the true soldier. They advocated the bill,
frhany of them. why? Simply because the men
could vote whom they expected to buy by this
bill
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa--For one. ipronouncA
that false lApplause the Republican side
and in the galleries.
Mr.. Bragg-I say that that is the substratum
upon which all this action is based. If these
mon whom they call paupers were to call upon
them individually for aid, they would say to
them, "You good -for-nothing scoundrels, you
are as competent to work as we are!' laughter
and applause on the Republican side This bill
would grant pensions to the men who had served
from December, 1864, TO June, 1860. Who were
those mcn2 They were the scum OF the earth.
They were the scum-aye. and the dregs They
STAYED in their homes until they were bought
bought by men who speculated in blood; paid
from 500 to $500, with the private assurance
that they were physically so defective that all
they had to do was to go 20 the hospital and not
erdanger their precious carcasses. Gentlemen
talked about soldiers being in alms-houses The
men who were found there were the men who
had come from there, and who, when they left
the army. had lapsed intos their old condition.
No true, brave soldier need ever 60 to the poor
house. The men who went there were native
there. They had no sef-rcsnect, no character;
they laid down and opened their mouths for a
'teat to suck.
Mr. Steele, of Indiana, interiected a remark.
Mr. Bragg said that he knew that tho centler
man who had just interrupted him, if he dared
vote his convictions, would vote AS he Mr.
Bragel did He knew gentlemen who had COM
mitted themselves day after day in opposition to
the principle OF the bill and we're grateful for the
Veto lCries Of .'Who are theyP know what
to1E ahn., hav N
peated cries Of Name them" name your
men, You can't do il" and much noise and